1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cleaning compounds, and, more particularly, to cleaning compounds for cleaning surfaces in a food processing environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous chemical compounds exhibit varying degrees of antimicrobial or biocidal activity. Antimicrobial compositions are needed, among other things, to clean and disinfect food surfaces, such as fruits and vegetables, and to clean and disinfect hard-surfaces in the health care industry, food and beverage industries, and households.
Compositions having cleaning and sanitizing effectiveness are known, which include one or more surfactants and one or more antimicrobial agents, where the surfactant is effective at removal of soils, especially soils that contain fats and the antimicrobial agents such as ethylene oxide, strong acids and compositions of aldehydes are known to have varying degrees of biocidal activity. Limitations exist for many of these cleaning compositions in that the antimicrobial agents exhibit toxic, corrosive and irritant properties that limit the compositions usefulness, especially in relation to the food and beverage industries.
Antimicrobial compositions, including lower concentrations of surfactants, resulting in lower corrosion and odor, are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,479,454 (Smith et al.) discloses an antimicrobial composition of hydrogen peroxide and amine oxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a known antimicrobial agent, and amine oxide is a high-foaming surfactant. By providing a low concentration mixture of hydrogen peroxide and amine oxide, effective antimicrobial cleaning may occur.
Nonetheless, even with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and amine oxide at a low concentration as disclosed by Smith et al. '454, the mixture still has a pH in the acid range and thus has higher than desired corrosive effects when applied to surfaces to be cleaned. It is conventionally believed that an antimicrobial compound must be in the acid range to effectively act as an antimicrobial agent. In fact, in line with conventional wisdom, Smith et al. '454 discloses that carboxylic acids may be added to the mixture of hydrogen peroxide and amine oxide to improve the antimicrobial effect. Although such cleaning compounds effectively clean target surfaces; the corrosive properties associated therewith cause substantial operating expense to periodically replace floor and wall surfaces, equipment, etc., damaged by the corrosion.
What is needed in the art is a cleaning compound, which is a hydrogen peroxide donor, which effectively cleans surfaces in a food processing environment without substantial corrosive effects.